Gwyneth Paltrow can't stay away from the latest health and beauty
fads. And so, it came as little surprise to most people when the
actress divulged that she'd recently tried out bee sting
therapy.

"I’ve been stung by bees. It’s a thousands of years old
treatment called apitherapy," Paltrow told the
New York Times. "People use it to get rid of inflammation and
scarring. It’s actually pretty incredible if you research it.
But, man, it’s painful."

The holistic practice entails placing a bee onto someone's
skin and then stimulating the bee to sting the person and release
the stinger, so that the person could reap the
supposed benefits of the main component of bee venom,
called melittin.

Bee venom allegedly boosts the immune system and improves
circulation, in addition to fighting diseases, such as multiple
sclerosis and shingles, according to the American Apitherapy
Society. The therapy hasn't gone
mainstream in the United States yet, and is only currently
available at a few specialized natural health centers.

However, the medical community is largely skeptical
about apitherapy.

New York City dermatologist Valerie Goldburt says
that there isn't actually much scientific evidence to
support apitherapy. "As with any therapy, it
may work for some people for reasons that aren’t clear,
but it certainly hasn’t been cleared by the medical
community," Goldburt said.

Animal studies have shown that bee venom does have
anti-inflammatory properties, says W. Clay Jackson, vice
president of the board of the American Academy of Pain
Management. But, there have been no randomized controlled
trials showing any health benefits in humans, and so he noted
that people should not pursue apitherapy as their primary
treatment against inflammatory diseases.

Furthermore, apitherapy can be dangerous for certain people.
"Many people are allergic to bee venom and also there have been
reported side effects, such as hemorrhagic strokes," Jackson
said. "Some people mistakenly assume that because something is
natural, it has no side effects, and that is not the case."

And so, if someone is set on following Paltrow's advice and
getting stung, they should consult with their doctor
beforehand — because getting stung by a bee might not
be worth the pain.